Shaw`s Bill Would Block Congressional Pay Hikes

January 10, 1987|By KEN CUMMINS, Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- Rep. E. Clay Shaw offered legislation this week to block pay raises that members of Congress and Vice President George Bush are scheduled to receive Feb. 5 under President Reagan`s budget proposals sent to Congress on Monday.

The resolution introduced by Shaw, R-Fort Lauderdale, would apply only to the pay hikes proposed for elected public officials and would leave intact the pay hikes scheduled for U.S. district court judges and non-elected top federal officials.

``In these days of trillion-dollar budgets and billion-dollar deficits, Congress has no business granting itself a five-figure pay raise,`` Shaw said after introducing his disapproval resolution.

``It`s unconscionable to ask the American people to accept cuts in their federal programs and increases for their federal representatives.``

``People feel that if they have to make do on what they`ve got, Congress should too,`` he said.

Shaw`s resolution, which was introduced Thursday, to disapprove the congressional pay hikes, one of several offered in the House and Senate this week, would hold most congressional salaries at their current level of $77,400 for this year.

The lawmakers` salaries are scheduled to increase to $89,500 on Feb. 5 unless both the House and Senate vote down the proposed pay raises before then and President Reagan signs the pay-raise disapproval resolution passed by Congress.

The current salaries and proposed pay hikes for House and Senate leaders are somewhat higher.

Bush`s salary is scheduled to increase from its current level of $100,800 to $115,000 on Feb. 5, unless the hike is voted down by Congress.